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Category Archives: Section
What Educational Values and Beliefs Underpin a Decision to have Armed School Resource Officers?
This article was previously published in Smile Politely, On December 17, 2019, the Urbana Board of Education (BOE) signed an intergovernmental agreement to approve funding of two full-time armed police officers (called School Resource Officers, or SROs)—one at the middle … Continue reading
Posted in African American, Education, Education, Police, Policing, Urbana, Voices of Color
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The Decline of African Languages at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois used to be one of the best universities for learning African languages. Emeritus professor of Linguistics Eyamba Bokamba would always say, “here in Illinois we offer African languages from A to Z, Arabic to Zulu.” Unfortunately, … Continue reading
Posted in Africa, African Americans, University of Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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Disruptive Shift Changes for UIUC Custodial Staff
Jenni Walkup is a public anthropology MA student at American University who lives in Champaign. She works in education and writes about movements and social change. She’s very good at Bananagrams. In August, 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of … Continue reading
Posted in COVID-19, labor, Labor/Economics, University of Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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SEIU Statement Regarding the Changes in the Building Services Department at UIUC
The University decided in mid-spring that it would reopen for the 2020 fall semester, a decision that would require drastic, “emergency” changes in our department and to the working conditions of SEIU members. Management didn’t notify union leadership until July … Continue reading
Posted in COVID-19, labor, Labor/Economics, University of Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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Police Unions: Solidarity and Accountability
The Police and Solidarity There are two major differences between police officers and other workers in both the private and public sector. The first is a truncated sense of solidarity, the second a lack of accountability. Unionized workers in both … Continue reading
Posted in police accountability, Police Brutality, Policing, union solidarity
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Chalk It Up to Protecting Property Over People
In July Michael Long, owner of the Rogue Barber Co. in downtown Champaign, implemented a discriminatory “membership only” policy. The issue came to public attention on July 23, when a female Champaign resident shared screenshots on social media of a … Continue reading
Posted in Alt-Right, bigotry, Community, police accountability, Policing
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How Are Violent Police Held Accountable in Champaign County?
On April 10, Urbana Police officers threw an African American woman, Aleyah Lewis, to the ground and punched her while she was down. She had protested the arrest of a friend. Caught on video, this led many people in the … Continue reading
Posted in police accountability, Police Brutality, States's Attorney
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A Student’s Perspective on COVID-19
On January 21, 2020, the first case of COVID-19 within the US was confirmed. During the first few days of the University of Illinois spring break, it was announced that all courses would transition to online-only learning by March 23, … Continue reading
1,271 total views
Posted in COVID-19, Section, Students, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Voices
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Is the Addition of a Larger Police Presence to Urbana Schools a Human Rights Violation?
On February 4, 2019, I was in class at Urbana High School when a student came in and said there were students fighting in the hall and a teacher had been knocked out. My teacher quickly locked the door and … Continue reading
2,055 total views
Struggles against Global Aquaculture: Ongoing Conflict between Coastal Communities and Fishmeal Factories in The Gambia
In June, 2018, I protested alongside locals to plead with the Gambian government to mitigate the ongoing conflict between a fishmeal factory and Sanyang village residents. The Nassim factory processes sardinella into feed stock, a flour-type material, for the Chinese … Continue reading
1,761 total views
Posted in Africa, Food Insecurity, International, International, Section
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The Pandemic and Pro Wrestling
In the November, 2019 Public i, I wrote about one of the earliest gig economies: professional wrestling. There, independent pro wrestler David Starr discussed the incredibly imbalanced power dynamics of the corporate wrestling scene in America. While watching corporations and … Continue reading
1,084 total views
Posted in Labor, Labor/Economics, Sports
Tagged COVID-19, Pro Wrestling
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Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center Offers Digital Venue Space and Community with its Sounds Like Community Web Series
The UC-IMC has always been a popular venue space for performances of all kinds, from spoken word poetry to live music, to art shows, plays and much more. But when the pandemic struck, the IMC Board of Directors was forced … Continue reading
1,080 total views
Public Speaks Out About Use of Force by Urbana Police–Council Reviews Police Investigation
On April 10, Urbana police responded to a call on East Colorado Avenue about an armed man and possible shot fired. Police arrived, frisked an uninvolved youth, and then focused on a man and woman they suspected were involved. … Continue reading
15,826 total views, 2 views today
Posted in Police, Policing, Uncategorized
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Comment from ACLU to Urbana City Council Regarding Aleyah Lewis’ Arrest
Champaign County ACLU appreciates the city of Urbana’s commitment to community-centered policing and to maintaining a well-trained professional police force that is held to the highest standards. We are concerned about the lack of professionalism during the April 10 arrest … Continue reading
1,429 total views
Posted in civil rights, Police, Policing
Tagged ACLU, Police Violence
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The Trump Administration Just Opened a New Immigrant Prison in Rural Michigan
From his office at the Cristo Rey Church in Lansing, Michigan, Oscar Castañeda runs a campaign against a new federal immigrant prison, part of President Donald Trump’s escalation of immigration enforcement. In May, 2019, the Trump administration awarded a ten-year, … Continue reading
Posted in Immigration, incarceration
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This Month from the Archives
Established in 2000, the UCIMC was one of the earliest nodes in the Indymedia network, representing an anti-globalist and anti-corporate agenda. With the motto “don’t hate the media, be the media,” along with tools, training, and support, Indymedia encourages citizen … Continue reading
Fighting for the Soul of Public Education
The administration of the University of California, Santa Cruz announced on Friday, February 28 that it would fire fifty-four graduate instructors who are on strike at the University. The announcement comes as the latest move in a nation-wide wave of … Continue reading
Posted in Education, Labor, Labor/Economics
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University and High School Students Collaborate to Host September 20th Climate Strike
Between September 20 and 27, over 6000 protests took place in 185 countries as part of the Global Week for Future. Students walked out of classes, workers went on strike, and millions gathered to demand climate justice and take action … Continue reading
Posted in Environment, Students, University of Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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Homewrecker: Trump, the Kurds, and the Grand Strategy We Have Been Waiting For
Donald Trump’s October decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria took his own advisors by surprise, not to mention the Kurdish military units that were U.S. partners in the war on ISIS during the past five years. Perhaps the only … Continue reading
Posted in International, International, Middle East, Syria
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Being the Unreasonable: Educating Highly Marginalized Girls to Change the World
Seema is a 12-year-old Dalit girl from Bihar, one of the poorest states in India. In the social hierarchy, Dalits in India belong to the lowest strata, often devoid of education and job opportunities, and have compromised rights. On one … Continue reading